Courage
by InvisibleGeek
Summary: She didn't want to be there, and the clock wasn't turning fast enough. As soon as the bell rang she'd be gone, headed for her safe bed where she could close her eyes and forget to be alive. "Today we will be talking about acts of courage in our life. Things that have inspired us." Oneshot


A group of seven sat in a therapy circle, for the most part avoiding each others gaze. The tension was thick in the room, their yet-to-arrive group leader not their to break the ice.

Sitting to the left of the empty chair was an orange haired girl with bright eyes. She kept looking at her sister, who had bleached blonde hair and was staring at her clasped hands, sitting next to her. To the left of her was a geeky looking boy with thick brown hair array with tiny braids. His glasses reflected his phone screen, which flashed with colorful lights as his thumbs tapped away. Next to him was an intimidating looking girl with fiery red hair. Her blue eyes where lined with dark eyeliner and she fiddled with her many bracelets. On her left was a tiny girl with long brown hair. Her eyes were worn and nervous, and she seemed to have been crying. Looking at the girl as though debating comforting her or not, was another brunette, her hair choppy as though it had been hacked off. The last person was slouched, his arms crossed and hat tipped down over his eyes. Thick dark hair forced its way from beneath the cap at odd angles, and light snores could be heard.

Suddenly, a large man with a great white beard burst into the room, laughing and immediately bring smiles to the teens faces. His noisy entrance startled the sleeping teen awake, his cap falling off when he jumped, wide black eyes scanned the room. The jolly adult noticed this and laughed, saying, "Aladdin, this is no time to be catching Z's!" The teen rolled his eyes, scooting his chair to this side as the bigger man sat in the empty one.

"Okay! Is everyone having good time?" There were a few nods and sarcastic eye rolls, but the tiny brunette girl just shrunk further into her seat. She didn't want to be there, and the clock wasn't turning fast enough. As soon as the bell rang she'd be gone, headed for her safe bed where she could close her eyes and forget to be alive.

"Today we will be talking about acts of courage in our life. Things that have inspired us to move forward and keep going."

He turned to his right, a twinkle in his blue eyes as he addressed the drowsy young man. "Aladdin, you will go first." He sighed, looking up from the floor and rubbing his eyes. "uh...I donno North..." His dark eyes lit up, and smile growing on his face as an idea came to mind. "The other day I meant this girl, beautiful! I mean wow! her eyes-" He caught himself, blushing a bit. "Uh, anyway, so I was at the mall with...my friend...and from the balcony we saw her stand up to a man who was being mean to this kid. She was clearly knew around, and didn't realize that the little rascal was a thief. So the guy gets all red in the face and starts accusing her of being one, and demands that she pays for whatever it was that the kid stole. That's nuts right? So I swoop in and tell him that she's my retarded sister who isn't all there. The best part is that she went along with it! Leaping straight into character." He grinned, feeling proud of the story, tightening his baseball cap around his head. The group nodded and smiled, clapping for his shared story.

"That was brave of her, but also of you Aladdin, well done." North praised, getting a bashful shrug in response. He then turned to the choppy haired brunette, who politely smiled back at him. "The best act of courage I can think of was when Eugene saved me from my foster Mother. You all know the story. She had stabbed him, but he kept fighting for me, caring about my freedom more than his life." She green eyes narrowed fondly at the memory, and a light coloring rose in her cheeks. North seemed more solemn, but just as cheerful as he addressed her act. "That was an important night for both of you. It was a truly selfless event."

He turned to the brunette girl, who seemed close to tears. "Emma," He said, voice soft and understanding. "You don't have to share if you don't want to. This is the day isn't it?" She nodded, but then swallowed and spoke. "No North...I should share. Put those rumors to rest." She took a deep breath, looking at the ground as she fought back tears. "I've never really had an act of courage, but I've witnessed the bravest one." She paused looking for words. "One year for Christmas my big brother and I got ice skates. It was the best gift ever, and I knew that he had told Santa for me. All day I begged him to take me onto the ice, and finally after lunch her did. I was so excited that I wore my skates on the way to the pond, Jack carrying me through the forest. When we arrived he sat me down, telling me to wait so could put his skates on." She paused, closing her eyes. After taking a deep breath she continued, eyes still shut. "I was too excited, my own ice skates, who wouldn't be? and I got onto the pond anyway. Jack didn't notice me, until the crack was heard. It was like he had heard gunfire, the way his body stiffened at the noise."

The group stared, drawn in to the story and hoping for the best. Albeit they already guessed the outcome.

"...I was just a kid, six years old. I-I didn't realize what that sound meant...so I kept skating. He turned to me, barefoot, and picked up a branch from the ground. I skated towards the center of the pond, and suddenly I knew what the sound meant. A bunch of little cracks grew under my skates, and I could see the water beginning to trickle through. I looked up, and saw my brother on the ice in front of me, looking like he was trying not to panic. He was my big brother, and he always fixed everything, so I told him I was scared. He was scaring me, the ice cracking under his bare feet. But then he smiled, looked me directly in the eyes and said that everything was going to be okay, and that we were going to play a game like we do everyday. I didn't believe him, and he asked if he would trick me." Emma laughed lightly, albeit without mirth, remembering all the pranks he used to play. "He was always playing pranks on the adults and bigger kids, and I told him so. He always played tricks. He laughed, and suddenly it was okay. He told me that were going to play hopscotch. He jumped on the ice, pretending to fall and making me laugh. He did this until he was on thick ice, and I knew it'd be okay. Jack told me it was my turn and I tried, but I was wearing those stupid iceskates, and I could barley move forward. Suddenly the branch he was holding pushed against my waist, and I was flung away, onto safe ice. I was giddy, laughing with relief as he smiled at me.." She stopped, chocking on her thickened words. Tears fell now, and some of the others were misty as well. "One step forward, that's all he took, and he fell through the ice, reaching out to me." She choked, Rapunzel unable to contain herself and hugging her. "When he pushed me off the thin ice, the momentum slid him onto it, trading us places. If I had been more careful, he would be alive today. Maybe he would be the one in this circle, talking about his problems."

The group said nothing, just solemnly looking inwardly as they redefined courage.


End file.
